Taco Salad
Fast food
taco salads can have 850 calories, 52 grams of fat and who knows what else layered
into them. I'd rather do that kind of calorie damage with a slice of cake than
with a meal I thought was supposed to be "good" for me. It should
be "safe" to order salads out but diner beware! Monster size portions
of high calorie foods can you do you in nutrition wise. But there's no reason
you can't enjoy your favorite flavors in a salad you portion control.
Summer BBQs, picnics and beach weekends don't have to do you in especially if
you plan ahead and bring a dish of your own whenever appropriate. I've never
met a hostess who wasn't grateful for an extra dish at an informal gathering.
Bringing something with you ensures there's something "safe" for you
to eat.
When I'm fixing this for family, we toss all the ingredients together but when
I'm entertaining a mixed crowd (adults and children) I take the time to arrange
the ingredients in beautiful rows on a large platter. When the Queen's coming
to dinner, I might add diced mango, papaya or kiwi to the salad.
Tip: Ask the butcher to grind your chicken meat at the time you purchase it to ensure you don't get ground chicken meat that has dark meat and fat added to it. Alternatively, cube boneless, skinless chicken breast and "grind" it yourself in a food processor. It's not the same but it will do in a pinch.
Tip: I eat this without the tortilla chips most of the time because I'm a fan of desserts and am always scrimping and saving to spend my calories there. If you're a chip person, read the manufacturers recommended portion size and nutrition facts on the package and then decide how many chips everyone gets. I didn't give you an amount because the only one who knows your calorie savings account balance is you.
Ingredients:
|
|
| One pound ground white meat chicken | |
| 1 | teaspoon cumin |
| 1 | teaspoon chili powder |
| 1 | head of romaine lettuce, shredded |
| 1 | mango, peeled, seeded and diced |
| 1 | tomato, diced |
| 1 | cup shredded carrots |
| 2 | cups California grapes, cut in half |
| 1/2 | cup scallions, diced |
| 3/4 | cup white beans, rinsed and drained |
| 1 | avocado, peeled, pitted and diced |
| 1 | medium onion, diced |
| Juice and zest of one lime | |
| 1/4 | cup salsa |
| 4 | pickled jalapenos |
| 1/4 | cup fat-free sour cream |
| 2-4 | servings baked tortilla chips |
 |
In
large non-stick skillet cook ground chicken with the cumin and chili powder
until chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour directly into
a large salad bowl. Add lettuce, mango, tomato, carrots, grapes, scallions,
white beans, avocado, onion, lime juice and zest. Toss until mixed well.
Garnish with salsa, jalapenos, sour cream and taco chips. |
| Servings: 6 |